Denver Nuggets: Evidence that a trade may be imminent

Much about this season is abnormal for the Denver Nuggets, as fewer wins, empty arenas and incongruent lineups have become a reality for this 2020-21 squad.

However, it appears more change is on the horizon for this team — a group that already added seven new faces over the offseason — as many signs point to roster movement in coming weeks.

Leading up to trade deadlines, fans/armchair general managers often design crazy deals to acquire superstars (usually in far-reaching fashion) to bolster this Denver team. Yet, the past two trade seasons haven’t seen these imaginations come to fruition, as there wasn’t a reason to overhaul well-rounded rosters that were accruing wins.

This 2020-21 campaign is different, as there’s legitimate cause for Denver to acquire help before March 25. The squad may only improve along the margins…or bigger names could be targeted. Let’s explore why.

The NBA trade deadline is nearing, and the 2020-21 campaign has given the Denver Nuggets every reason to execute a trade.

Last season Denver landed the 3-seed and garnered national attention by overcoming two 3-1 series deficits to make its first Western Conference finals since 2009. In turn, this year began with huge expectations, but the Nuggets have underwhelmed as they’re currently 7th in the conference with a 19-15 record.

Superstars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have played spectacularly, which renders Denver’s lack of success even more concerning and shows the depth to which the supporting cast has sunk.

Jokic is a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging 26.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Murray has been a solid sidekick, averaging a career-high 21.6 points per contest, including an electric 31.9 points per game over his past seven contests.

With Jokic and Murray dominating games of late, only marginal teammate support is required to win. This low benchmark has not been met, however.

Last month’s 130-128 loss to the Washington Wizards was a particularly painful example, as Jokic and Murray scored 33 and 35 points respectively, each shooting over 50 percent from the field. Nobody else impacted the game on either end, and Denver lost to one of the league’s weakest teams.

On a broader level, Jokic scored 33 points or more five times in February, and the Denver Nuggets posted just a 1-4 record in these contests.

This leads to the tradability factor. The front office knows Jokic and Murray are capable of winning games; this duo spearheaded last year’s playoff push. It’s the new-look supporting cast that appears in need of revamping, as there’s no excuse for this utter lack of contribution.

Additionally, the complementary players are driving several problems that hinder Denver’s success:

• The defense is 17th in the NBA with a 111.6 defensive rating, proving especially susceptible to large scoring wings, athletic bigs and quick guards. It is safe to say sturdy stoppers will be explored as potential trade acquisitions.
• Of Denver’s nine primary rotation players, five are listed at 6’5” or under. These smaller lineups are an experiment from this past offseason that may be discontinued if the losing ways persist.
• A reliable third scorer has yet to emerge. Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 14.3 points per contest, but his integration has been rocky at times, leading to the (smaller) possibility that he becomes a trade chip in acquiring a veteran scorer.

Factoring the Nuggets’ less-than-stellar record, glaring holes, and notable lack of support around Jokic and Murray, it’d be surprising if Denver kept its same roster through the trade deadline.

As for options, Bradley Beal, Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon have been floated in trade rumors, all effective players whose availability is uncertain. Regardless, it’s unlikely such a move would occur.

Lonzo Ball is perhaps an intriguing possibility — he provides size, shooting, defense and passing to the backcourt — and there’s a solid chance the New Orleans Pelicans entertain offers for him. Wings such as Terrance Ross, DeMar DeRozan and Norman Powell have also been rumored as possibilities.

There’s also a chance Denver targets lower-profile, sturdy defenders in less-splashy deals, with the goal of returning to the strong defensive team of recent years.

As the trade deadline approaches, only one scenario seems unlikely: the squad doing nothing at the deadline. Buckle up Denver Nuggets fans, this trade season may be bumpy.